Means for retarding the descent of fire-curtains



w. M/BRUNST;

MEANS FOR RETARDING THE DESCENT OF FIRE CURTAINS. APPLICATION FILED MAY 9, 1916.

1,332,942. Patented Mar. 9, 1920.

2 SHEETSSHEET l- 20 511mm oz 23. 33% WilliamMBru/nst A 61 Her/M24 5 W. M. BR MEANS FOR RETARDING THE DE 0F FlR'E CURTAINS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 9. 1916.

1,332,942. Patented Mar. 9,1920. 2 sssssssss EET 2. I

noeutov WilliamM Brunst 44 after-nev 5 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM M. BBUNST, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE KINNEAB, MANUFAC- TURING COMPANY, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

MEANS FOR RETARDING THE DESCENT F FIRE-CURTAINS'.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 9, 1920.

Application filed May 9, 1916. Serial No. 96,463.

.- State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Means for Betarding the Descent of Fire-Curtains, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to provide improved means for retarding the descent of fire shutters and more particularly the de scent of those that are automatically released upon the occurrence of nearby fire.

The invention is embodied in the construction and combinations of parts herein shown and particularly set forthi-n the following description, the features of novelty being finally claimed.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a side view partly in section of one of the brackets which supports the curtain roller equipped with my invention.

Fig. 2 is a similar side view of a bracket equipped with a modification.

Fig. 3 is a similar view of another modification.

Fig. 4 is a front view of the construction as shown in Fig. 1 showing also fractions of the curtain roller and curtain or shutter.

In the views 5 designates the curtain rollerand 6 one of the end brackets which is secured above the opening 22 of the wall 21, said brackets supporting the curtain roller by means of a shaft like that at 7 that is journaled in one of the brackets. The curtain 8 is attached to the roller in any suitable manner and can, if heavy, be equipped with partially counterbalancing and operating means as usual and well understood in such structures.

According to the present illustrations the end of the shaft 7 projects through the bracket 6 to receive an element of the retarding devices. As shown in Fig. 1 said shaft has secured to it a wheel 9 having V- shaped teeth around its rim and co6perating therewith is a ring 10 pivoted to oscillate upon a pin 11 projecting from the bracket above the wheel 9. At diametrically opposite sides of the rings are pivot pins 12 upon which are mounted dogs 13 having V -shaped portions standing in the plane of the teeth of the wheel 9. The V-shaped portion of each of the dogs is yieldinglv held normally projecting from the ring by means of a coiled spring 14 attached to the dog. and the ring. 15 is a stop pin to limit the extent of the projection of the dog. 16 designates a gravity actuated latch pivoted at 17 on the end bracket and having a projection to engage a projection on the ring to hold the ring from oscillation and, as shown, while the left hand dog 13 is engaged with a tooth of the wheel 9 to prevent the roller shaft I from rotation and the curtainv or shutter from descending. The latch is shown as held up to secure it in latching position by means of a chain 18 attached at one end to a hook 19 on the latch and at the other end to a hook 20 on the inner side of the wall 21 to which the brackets are secured, the chain being passed through an opening 21 in said wall. To cause the automatic release of the latch in case of fire the chain contains a fusible link 23 located in an exposed position so that upon the melting thereof the latch may fall and release the ring carrying the dogs. Upon'such release the pressure of the tooth on the engaged dog causes the ring to oscillate, in the instance referred to, to the left, but upon such oscillation that dog is thrown beyond the tooth but the opposite dog is brought into position to oppose the rotation of the wheel until the pressure of the tooth it opposes again, in like manner, oscillates the ring but to the right. This operation is repeated until the curtain or shutter has fallen step by step to closing position or the tooth wheel is relieved of the actuating weight. The curtain or shutter is thus retarded in its descent and falls gradually and without violence.

Instead of mounting the toothed wheel 9 directly on the shaft 7 it can be mounted on a stud shaft 7' on the bracket and this shaft is provided with a spur gear 25 rotating with the wheel 9, said gear 25 to engage a spur gear 26 of different diameter fast on the shaft 7 or as shown in Fig. 2. Whether the spur gear 26 should, in practice, be larger or smaller than the gear 25 will depend upon the speed of descent desired. If the gear 26 be larger the speed of descent will be slower provided conditions are otherwise the same because there will be more interruption of the rotations of the wheels.

In Fig. 3 there is shown a multiplication of the toothed wheels as at 9 and 9 and of the oscillating or interrupting rings as at 10 and 10 for the purpose of securing slowness of descent. In such construction it is desirable that the teeth of the wheels as well as their respective cooperating dogs be alternated in horizontal relation. Insuch case also the gravity latch can be provided with an additional projection or projections to engage the rings to hold them from oscillation.

The yielding dogs permit the rewinding of the curtain Without any considerable obstructing efl'ect therefrom.

The chain 18 can be released by hand to test operativeness of the curtain from time to time Without fusing the link.

The forms of the parts can be' changed without departing from the gist of the invention as claimed.

What I claim is:

1. In combination with a curtain-receiv ing member, a toothed wheel driven by the unwinding movement of said member, an oscillating member having a dog mounted therein to intermittently engage said toothed member and permit interrupted descent of the curtain, and thermally controlled means for holding the dog of the oscillating member engaged with the toothed wheel to pre vent rotation thereof.

2. In combination with a curtain-receiving member, a toothed wheel driven by the unwinding movement of said member, an oscillating member having a dog yieldingly mounted. therein to intermittently engage said toothed wheeland permit interrupted descent of the curtain, and thermally controlled means for holding the dog of the oscillating member engaged with the toothed wheel to prevent rotation of the toothed wheel.

3. In combination with a curtain-receiving member, a toothed wheel driven by the unwinding movement of said member, an oscillating member having opposingly located dogs yieldingly mounted therein to intermittently and alternately engage the teeth of the opposite sides of the toothed wheel, and thermally controlled means for holding one of the dogs of the oscillating member engaged with a tooth of the Wheel to prevent rotation of that wheel.

WILLIAM M. BRUNST. 

